


5 Times Bruce and Nat Were Mistaken For a Couple (+1 Time They Weren't)

by Blizzard_Fire



Series: Bruce Week 2020 [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 5+1 Things, Adorable Bruce Banner, Bruce Banner Feels, Domestic Avengers, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Mistaken for Being in a Relationship, Natasha Romanov Is Not A Robot, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, POV Natasha Romanov, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Protective Natasha Romanov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:35:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23251036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blizzard_Fire/pseuds/Blizzard_Fire
Summary: 'You're asking me out... for a "coffee"?' Natasha folded her arms.'Yeah. Why, is that weird?' When Natasha didn't respond, Bruce looked up. His face fell. 'Oh. Oh! No, not like that...''No? Because it sounded like you were asking me out on a date.' Natasha met his eyes unblinkingly.He squirmed under her gaze. 'I'm sorry, I'm not so good with... people these days. I just thought - you know, as an apology. Figure I owe you one for scaring you.'Bruce and Natasha become fast friends. It would be great if the other Avengers could stop assuming they're together...
Relationships: Bruce Banner & Natasha Romanov
Series: Bruce Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1671742
Comments: 8
Kudos: 115
Collections: Bruceweek





	5 Times Bruce and Nat Were Mistaken For a Couple (+1 Time They Weren't)

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt "Truth, Flowers & Stars" for Bruce Week 2020.
> 
> BruceNat isn't a ship I commonly dabble in but it's actually really sweet. I was thinking how in the movie canon we never really see them as just buds, so here's some plat!BruceNat for Day 4 :D

'You're asking me out... for a "coffee"?' Natasha folded her arms.

'Yeah.' Bruce didn't look up from his lab project, pouring a bottle of something into another bottle of something. 'Why, is that weird?' When Natasha didn't respond, he looked up. His face fell. 'Oh. Oh! No, not like that...'

'No? Because it sounded like you were asking me out on a date.' Natasha met his eyes unblinkingly. If her assassin training had taught her anything, it was how to make people fear you.

He squirmed under her gaze. 'I'm sorry, I'm not so good with... people these days. I hope I didn't give off mixed signals.' He set the bottle down and removed his glasses. 'I just thought - you know, as an apology. Figure I owe you one for scaring you.'

She kept her expression carefully neutral. 'By "scaring me", you mean what happened on the Helicarrier?' Natasha didn't get scared. Ever. She'd trained with the best and was an expert at manipulating others. Yet when the Hulk had appeared... she'd never felt so powerless. Even now, she tended to tiptoe around Bruce and avoided talking to him if possible.

Bruce turned away to rummage in a cabinet. 'It's fine. Forget I said anything. But I don't want you to feel that you have to avoid me all the time.' He turned back holding a tray of equipment, fixing her with a dark-eyed stare. Bruce didn't blink a lot, she'd noticed. He didn't smile or utilise facial expressions often, and he'd often stare a little too much when talking to you. She wasn't sure if that was a product of five years of loneliness or whether it was just how he'd always been. 'Why did you come here? Did you need something?'

It took her a moment to remember. 'Fury's holding a meeting downstairs. Wants us all there.'

'Oh, okay.' He set his equipment down and headed to the sink to wash his hands. 'I'll be there.'

Natasha headed for the door. Then she paused and looked back. 'Hey, Banner.'

He turned. 'Yeah?'

'I'm free after four.' And she hurried off before she could second-guess herself. She wasn't going to let fear get the better of her.

Plus, Bruce seemed like an interesting guy to talk to. She'd like to get to know him a little better.

** 1 **

They bought coffee from a tiny hipster cafe (of _course_ Bruce had a reusable cup) and sipped it as they walked around Central Park.

No matter where he was, Bruce always seemed ill at ease. He wrung his hands, he fiddled with his sleeves, he glanced around like he was fearful of being hunted. Natasha could identify with that; she was taught always to expect an attack, and even now she was checking for escape routes and scanning faces for potential attackers. She was just a little more subtle about it.

She didn't miss the way he kept glancing at her, too. 'Are you afraid of me?' she asked finally as they sat down on a bench, cradling their empty cups.

He looked at her sharply, his expression giving nothing away. 'Did I give you that impression?'

'I'm good at reading people.' She didn't look away. 'It's clear that you're nervous most of the time.'

He looked surprised, considering this for a long moment. 'I'm not afraid of you. I'm not afraid of anyone.' His shoulders hunched. He always seemed to be trying to make himself look small. To not take up space. 'I'm afraid of myself.'

And suddenly it all made sense.

'People who get close to me get hurt. Why do you think I was so reluctant to join the team? I'm just - I'm tired.' He rubbed his face wearily.

'I'm sorry.' Now she felt like an asshole. 'But... at least you're understood here, right? You don't have to hide anymore. Maybe Hulk can do some good here.'

'Yeah. Maybe.' He fiddled with the lid of his cup.

'That's what happened to me, anyway,' she confessed. 'Finding Clint, joining SHIELD... it was a life-changer for me. A chance to start fresh. You think you're the oddball on this team? We share rooms with a guy from World War II and the god of thunder. We're _all_ weird. We're all figuring out how to make this Avengers thing work.'

'That's true.' He stood up. 'Thanks. You've given me something to think about.'

'Don't mention it.' They started to walk back. 'Hulk was scared, wasn't he? That's why he chased me. It's not like he's used to people being on his side.' And Hulk had already proven he could take orders - provided they involved smashing. 'I guess I should try and get to know him some more.'

Bruce winced. 'Hopefully not for a while.'

By the time they reached Stark Tower, Natasha felt she understood Bruce a little better. Perhaps she'd try and talk to him more often from now on.

Tony was sitting on the couch as they entered the communal living area, scrolling through his phone whilst the TV played in the background. 'The happy couple returns,' he said without looking up.

'What are you talking about?' Natasha opened up the fridge and poured herself some juice.

'News travels fast around here.' He held up his phone, showing them a blurred photo. 'Paparazzi caught you canoodling in the park.'

'Of course.' Natasha rolled her eyes.

Bruce chuckled and sat down next to Tony. 'It's a change from the usual news about me, I guess.' But he offered her an apologetic look.

'No need to be shy about it. We've all noticed the... _tension_ between you.' Tony winked at her. 'Honestly, I'm glad you two figured things out.'

'Tony, we're not...' Bruce just sighed and shook his head.

'Catch you later, Bruce.' Natasha waved at him, then showed Tony the finger. 'Stark.'

Tony just cackled until she left the room.

** 2 **

Natasha made a point to seek Bruce out every now and then. He was usually in the lab, and only too happy to explain what he was working on (not that she understood half of it). It took a little while to get him to open up, but after a while he seemed to realise that she was genuinely interested in what he had to say. Natasha was used to figuring people out, but Bruce remained a mystery. She could never tell what he was thinking and he often surprised her.

'Who is Sir Trapsalot?' She frowned at the sign on the lab windowsill.

'Oh - that's - um.' Bruce blushed - _blushed_ \- and picked up a potted plant. 'I was just watering him, that's where he lives.'

She watched in amazement as he returned the plant to the window. 'Is that a venus flytrap?'

'I used to collect carnivorous plants. I like things that are...' He coughed. 'Misunderstood.'

Natasha admired the little plant. The open mouths of the traps were deep red, like the throats of baby birds. 'Sir Trapsalot looks well cared-for. I like him. I don't know much about carnivores, but I like flowers. We had to learn flower language as part of our training. Not sure what it means if someone gets you a bouquet of flytraps, though.'

'Ask Steve, he's the one who found it for me.' He gazed down at it with a fondness she hadn't seen in him before. 'He doesn't catch anything though. I feed him fish flakes every once in a while.'

'Can't believe you missed the opportunity to call him Seymour. Anyway, it's half two. You still up for it?'

'Oh. Yeah.' Bruce's face fell a little. 'Yeah, I want to try.' He picked up the bag of clothes sitting by the door and followed her out of the room.

It had been Natasha's suggestion that they try some sparring practice. Even Tony had had basic combat training, and if Bruce wanted to manage without the Hulk as much as possible then he needed to be ready.

A few minutes later, they were in their gym clothes and facing each other in the training room.

‘Alright.’ She opened her arms. ‘Show me what you’ve got.’

Bruce hesitated. ‘I’m not sure, uh…’ He rubbed his elbow nervously. It was odd to see him in one of Tony’s faded AC/DC shirts and a pair of jogging bottoms. He was usually so dressed-up all the time.

‘You can’t hurt me, Bruce,’ she said gently. ‘I’ve fought guys twice your size. I just want to see what I’m working with.’

Still, he looked unconvinced. ‘I just don’t know if I could bring myself to – '

Natasha sprung forward and aimed a punch towards his gut. Bruce lunged sideways and knocked her arm out of the way, unconsciously lowering into a fighting stance. ‘See? It’s still in there somewhere.’

He laughed self-consciously. 'Been a while since I had anyone to practice with.'

Natasha took a few steps back. 'Okay. I'm going to try a few moves, and you're gonna react like you would if this was a real fight.' Seeing the amused glint in his eye, she added, 'You know what I mean. Just give me some warning if it gets too much, okay?'

It turned out that Bruce was a surprisingly capable fighter. A little unpolished, and he was reluctant to retaliate, but gradually he became more comfortable. Whoever had trained him in martial arts had done a good job.

Natasha showed him no mercy. She didn't overload him with new moves but equally she didn't let him land a single hit. When a couple of hours had passed and Bruce looked like he was flagging, she knocked his legs out from under him and pinned him to the floor with her full bodyweight. ‘Do you surrender?’

He chuckled incredulously. ‘It seems I have no choice.’ He closed his eyes as he fought for breath, still smiling. His sweaty fringe was slicked to his forehead, and she could feel his rapid heartbeat even with her hands on his shoulders.

Knocking him down had been a cheap move, but Natasha trusted her instincts. Most guys she trained thought they knew it all and needed taking down a peg. In a similar vein, Bruce needed to be shown that without the Hulk, he posed no threat to her and could not seriously injure her here. ‘You’ve got good form, you just need some more spontaneous training against an actual opponent.’

Bruce blinked up at her. He looked exhausted but happy. ‘Thanks. Really. Maybe I’ll come by again sometime?’

She smiled. ‘Sure.'

The door opened. ‘Oh.’

Steve stood awkwardly in the doorway, gym bag slung over one shoulder. 'I didn't realise anyone was in here. Sorry...'

Natasha realised that she was still straddling Bruce's hips and both of them were sweaty and panting. 'Would you believe me if I said this isn't what it looks like?'

But Steve was already slinking away, red-faced. 'It's fine, I'll uh, come back later.' The door banged shut.

Natasha clambered off him with a sigh. 'You think he'll talk?'

'Steve's a gentleman.' Bruce wobbled a little as he stood up. 'But yes, probably.'

** 3 **

It seemed that Bruce's training might soon come in handy; the very next week, he was chosen for an undercover mission.

'We need someone whose face isn't as well-known,' said Tony. 'If any of us go, we'll be recognised immediately.'

Bruce frowned. 'But Natasha won't?'

'Natasha's an expert at blending in. Just go in, pretend like you're a normal couple, and watch for the target. I'll fit you up with some earpieces, okay?'

And that was how the two of them ended up at a fancy restaurant, arm-in-arm, pretending to be a pair of newly-weds.

'Any sign yet, Tony?' Bruce muttered. He seemed ill-at-ease in a smart suit and bowtie. But Tony was right; no one would look twice at him. Natasha had opted for a sleek, dark green dress and styled her hair into an elegant updo.

_'Nothing yet. Let the waiter seat you, he knows the target and will put you near his table.'_

Natasha smiled demurely as the waiter led them to a seat by the window. All the tables here were reserved for couples, and a candle flickered on each. 'At least we get free dinner, right?' she said, hoping to make him feel more comfortable. It was hard to ignore such romantic connotations, but it wasn't like they had to kiss or anything. And she didn't have to fake being happy in Bruce's company.

She pretended to study the menu whilst Bruce less-subtly glanced around the restaurant and muttered, 'Tony, you realise how many people I could endanger here if something goes wrong? We have backup, right?'

 _'Nope. No backup needed.'_ Tony sounded... smug. ' _Also,_ _there is no target. I just wanted you guys to have a good night and it was the only way to get Brucie-poo out of the lab. Surprise!'_

Bruce hid his head in his hands. 'Tony!'

 _'Don't do anything I wouldn't do! Which leaves you with plenty of options, honestly. Tony out.'_ The line went dead.

'I've told him _five hundred times_ we aren't dating.' Bruce's voice came out muffled. 'I'm so sorry...'

'Bruce. It's fine. Just like our coffee "date", right? Two people can go for dinner without it meaning anything.' Trust Tony to make everything awkward. She looked out of the window. They were on the second floor, and there was a great view of Central Park. Above, stars glimmered in the night sky.

When she turned back, Bruce was also admiring the view. 'I guess we might as well enjoy it,' he sighed, removing his earpiece. 'Tony means well. But he seems convinced we're hiding something, for some reason.'

The waiter came by and took their orders. Bruce clearly wasn't super comfortable with so many people around, and he still seemed embarrassed about the whole thing. Natasha sensed he wanted to clear the air, so when the food came she didn't say anything, just waited for him to speak.

'It's been a long time since I've had... people I can trust.' He poked at his vegetarian bolognese. 'It's hard to get used to that when you've been on your own for so long. I used to have someone. Betty. She meant everything to me. Then the other guy - I nearly killed her.'

Natasha knew about Betty Ross. When she'd read Bruce's file, Natasha had felt like she understood him immediately. Here was a man who'd spent so long avoiding people that he'd forgotten how to function amongst them. Someone who was struggling to adjust to Stark Tower's semblance of normal life. And despite his reluctance to get close to people, she sensed he was lonely.

'I can't be close to someone like that again. I don't think I'd even know how to.' He wouldn't meet her eyes. 'More to the point, I don't want to.'

'That's fair. If it helps Bruce, I think you're a great guy to be around. But that's it.' And that was the honest truth of it. She wasn't sure if _she_ knew how to pilot a romance either. When you had to fake it to get close to your targets, the real thing seemed that much more elusive. 'So I guess that makes two of us.'

He smiled, and finally she saw him relax a little. 'Good. Okay. I just don't want things to be weird. I like spending time with you.'

They ate in silence for a while. 'You said "people I can trust",' said Natasha. 'You trust us?'

Bruce took a long time to respond. ‘It's taking me some time to get used to things. But since I met all of you, I’m open to the possibility of doing the whole… friendship thing.’ He gestured vaguely with his fork, and a bit of spaghetti fell into his wine. ‘I’ll be honest, I’m a little out of practice.’

‘Me too. When your training is second nature… you learn how to shape people’s opinions of you. How to act to make them like you and trust you. That’s not something I can switch off and sometimes I'm not sure what I am anymore.’

‘It doesn’t matter what you are. What matters is what you do with it.’

'You should take some of your own advice, Banner.' She smiled. 'Maybe we can figure this whole "friends" thing out together?’ She picked up her glass and held it out. 'To trust issues?'

Bruce laughed. 'To trust issues,' he agreed, and they clinked glasses.

The waiter stopped by their table. ‘Can I get you anything else, Mr and Mrs Banner?’

Natasha resisted the urge to roll her eyes. ‘No, thank you.’

When he'd left, Bruce sighed. ‘The media’s going to love this.’

She leaned in closer to gaze into his eyes, a parody of romantic devotion. ‘Fuck the media,’ she said sweetly, then drew back to finish her wine. ‘Maybe we should start proposing when we go places. We might get some free champagne.'

Bruce just laughed as if he hadn’t laughed in years.

The next day, Natasha opened her apartment door to find a bouquet of flowers on the floor outside.

'Doc left those there,' said Clint, leaning against the wall.

Natasha narrowed her eyes. 'How long have you been standing there?'

'Not long.'

She picked them up, struggling to contain a smile. In the language of flowers, yellow roses meant joy and friendship. Bruce had done his homework.

'You guys were out pretty late last night.' He winked. 'Did he show you his _other_ "big guy"?'

'You're disgusting. We just went for dinner.' She wasn't about to tell him that when they'd got back, she'd stayed at Bruce's apartment to watch some old eighties _Doctor Who_ episodes. Bruce was a giant nerd, and it was catching.

Even Clint couldn't be convinced that nothing else was going on, so she'd given up on correcting him. It had felt so easy to make a genuine connection with Bruce over the weeks they'd been spending time together. Bruce didn't know what it was like to be born to be a killer, but he understood how it felt to be defined only by the destruction you caused. On the bad days, they could instinctively support each other.

'Fine, pretend like you're _not_ boning behind closed doors.'

'That's how most people do it, Barton.'

'Whatever. It's cool. I just don't get why you hide it.' He half-turned away, then almost as an afterthought added, 'But just so you know, if he hurts you I'm sticking an arrow up his big green ass.'

Natasha blinked. 'Are you... are you giving me the _talk?_ Is that what's happening right now?'

'No,' he said, too quickly.

She laughed. 'You'd take Hulk down for me? You're so sweet. I'll tell Bruce - you know, the next time we make sweet, platonic love.'

He punched the air. 'So you _are_ boning! I knew it!'

Still laughing, she shut the door in his face.

**4**

After a battle that went on for about four hours too long, the Avengers crowded into the Quinjet and set off for home.

'Those fools should know better than to fight the noble Avengers,' said Thor, gesturing grandly with his hammer.

The others slumped in their seats, smeared with blood and ash and alien guts. Bruce had half-crawled into the jet and immediately fallen asleep on one of the medical bunks. Natasha glanced over, but he was clearly out for the count.

Thor noticed her looking. 'I notice you two have been spending more time together of late,' he said, a little too knowingly.

'You think?' said Tony. 'They're practically joined at the hip these days.'

'It's okay,' Steve said jovially, 'you don't have to hide it from us. We're happy for you.'

Natasha yawned and closed her eyes. 'No comment.' She was looking forward to getting back and having a nice, hot bath. The whole jet smelled like bad breath and shit. Shame they couldn't crack open a window at this altitude.

When they were about halfway back, Bruce stirred.

‘Good morning, Sleeping Beauty.’ Tony stood over him. ‘How you holding up? Anything you need, I’ll get JARVIS on it. What do you want for lunch? I'll get JARVIS to order ahead.’

Bruce’s voice came out weak and reedy. ‘Natasha…’

All eyes turned to her in puzzlement, swiftly followed by smirks.

‘You wound me, Brucie.’ Tony clutched a hand to his chest. ‘What two things does Ms Romanov have that I don’t? Oh wait…’

Natasha fixed him with a steely look. ‘Assassin training and the ability to kill you with my left pinkie?’

‘No no, I get it. I’ll give you guys some privacy.’ He sat back down.

Natasha walked over. Bruce wore pair of faded jeans and an oversized hoodie, and he was gripping the sides of the bunk like he was afraid he'd fall out. ‘What do you need?’ she asked quietly.

His dark eyes met hers blearily, then he looked away. 'I don't know what happened,' he muttered, 'I think the other guy may have eaten something bad, but uh, I woke up and...' His voice dropped to a whisper and he blushed. ‘I think I’ve uh, soiled myself. Don’t tell the others, I’ll never hear the end of it.’

Natasha felt a flash of warmth at being the one Bruce trusted. ‘Got you covered,' she assured him, straight-faced. 'I’ll tell the others to go on ahead.'

He closed his eyes. ‘Thanks. Owe you one.’

When the Quinjet touched down, Bruce feigned sleep.

'We'll catch you up,' said Natasha. Tony and Clint were only too happy to hurry ahead in search of showers and hot food, but Thor and Steve looked concerned. To help things along, she rested a hand on Bruce's head to stroke his hair. 'We'll be fine. Don't worry.' They seemed to understand she wanted a moment with him, and left the two of them alone.

When they'd gone, Bruce opened his eyes. 'That could have been bad.'

Natasha wiped her hand on her pants. 'You're really sweaty. Are you okay?'

'Yeah.' He sat up and pulled a face. 'I'm a little worried Hulk may have eaten one of the aliens. I don't feel great.'

She pulled out another spare pair of pants from under the seats. 'Catch.' She tossed it to him. 'Need any help?'

'No, I can take it from here. But thank you.'

Natasha stepped out of the jet and waited outside. Bruce emerged, looking a little pale, but she slung his arm over her shoulders and helped him to walk inside and up to his room. 'Do you want me to bring a medic down?'

'I think I'll be okay once I've slept this off.' He opened his door. 'I'm gonna clean up and see how I feel in a few hours.'

'Look after yourself, okay? I need my _Doctor Who_ buddy on top form.' She patted him on the shoulder. 'Catch you later, Bruce.'

'See you.' But she didn't miss his grateful expression as he closed the door. Clearly he still wasn't used to people caring about him, but she was determined that one day he would take it for granted. As everyone deserved to.

'Oh shit,' she muttered, 'it's Friday...'

**5**

Friday night was movie night in the Stark household. Unfortunately, this time it had coincided with the aftermath of a battle.

A few hours later, everyone re-emerged and gathered in the living room, draping themselves over couches and cushions.

'How's green bean?' Tony tossed a handful of popcorn into his mouth, looking around and crunching expectantly. 'Still feeling - well, green?'

 _'He will be along shortly, sir,'_ JARVIS replied. Bruce was always exhausted after Hulking out. Natasha admired him for making the effort to be with them.

Clint twirled the remote through his fingers. 'Whose turn is it to pick the movie?'

'Mine.' She plucked it from his hand and flopped down on a vacant couch. 'We're not starting until everyone's here.'

Whilst everyone was still fighting over favourite seats and sharing out the movie snacks, Bruce shuffled in. He'd wrapped himself in a thick blanket and seemed a little unsteady on his feet, but offered them all a brave smile. A smile which widened as they gave him a round of friendly applause.

Clint grinned. 'Ain't a party without ya, Doc.'

Bruce glanced around for a spare seat, then immediately headed for the space beside Natasha. 'Did you decide on a movie?'

She shrugged. 'I picked one out.'

JARVIS dimmed the lights. Natasha hit play.

The others made various sounds of approval - except for Thor and Steve, who of course hadn't heard of it.

' _Jurassic Park?'_ said Steve. 'Dinosaur movie?'

Tony scoffed. 'That is the understatement of the century, Capsicle.'

Bruce looked at Natasha in surprise. ' _You_ picked this?' he murmured, quiet enough that the others wouldn't hear.

Natasha just smiled back at him. 'Yeah.'

'Did you pick this because I told you it was my favourite movie?'

She chuckled. 'Maybe. You made it sound really good. I wanna like what you like.'

Bruce didn't respond further, but he sank back into the couch with the softest, happiest smile on his face. Even when a character in the first scene was eaten by a dinosaur.

And he was right, it was a good movie. On the surface it was a good popcorn movie with dinosaurs. But it also carried darker themes of humanity playing god with science and the consequences it caused. Interesting that Bruce's favourite movie resonated so closely with his real life.

About halfway through the movie, Bruce fell asleep. Natasha only realised this when he slumped against her shoulder, exhausted.

Generally speaking, Natasha wasn't a super tactile person. But this... was kind of nice. Bruce's warm weight settled against her, his curly hair occasionally tickling her chin. He smelled faintly of soap and green tea. He really was the opposite of Hulk; an unobtrusive, reassuring presence.

It was in that moment that she realised how much he meant to her. True friends were hard to find, but she liked to think that she was lucky enough to have found one. In addition to Clint, of course.

She hadn't meant to fall asleep as well, but the battle fatigue crept up on her and the next thing she knew the credits were rolling.

'You guys are adorable,' said Clint, watching them fondly.

Natasha raised her head from where it had been resting on Bruce's. 'You're not allowed to call me adorable. I'm terrifying.'

Thor smiled over at them as he headed towards the kitchen with an empty popcorn bowl. 'Blossoming love. Tis a beautiful thing.'

'So when's the big day for you guys?' asked Tony.

Bruce stirred. Natasha glared up at them all. 'If you wake him,' she said softly, 'I will break all of your legs.'

When the others crept out and left them alone, Bruce chuckled. 'I'm glad I'm on your side.'

She sighed happily and rested her chin on his head. 'Me too.'

**+1**

To Natasha's surprise, she didn't find Bruce in the lab. He was always in the lab on Sunday mornings.

It had been a few weeks since _Jurassic Park_ night, and Bruce hadn't had to Hulk out since then. It was unusual for him to sleep in late.

Eventually, she found him in the kitchen. He was balancing precariously on a footstool, shoulder-deep as he rummaged in a high cupboard. 'Thought you'd be cooking up a storm in your usual habitat,' she said by way of greeting.

Bruce's chuckle was deepened by the hollow space. 'Thought I'd cook one up in here instead.' When he peered around the cupboard door to smile at her, his hair was dusted with flour. 'I don't think Tony's ever cleared these out. He has spices that expired eight years ago!'

Natasha frowned. 'Spices expire?'

He stepped down and deposited some battered bean cans on the counter. 'Well, we're always ordering in and I had a craving for something a little more homemade. Then I found this mess and I thought I'd spend the morning re-organising things.' His brow furrowed as he stared at several dozen cans of chickpeas. 'This kitchen is a mystery to me,' he said solemnly.

Natasha edged around the room, keeping one hand behind her back. 'Question. Have you watched all of the _Harry Potter_ films? Because you can't be king of British nerd culture unless you have.'

He hung his head in shame. 'I read one of the books a few years ago. The one with the giant snake.'

'Oh, you are missing out. Okay, movie marathon tonight, my place. Bring snacks.'

Bruce chuckled, putting on his glasses to read the packaging labels. Most things seemed to be on the "throw out" pile. 'I'll be there.'

Natasha perched on the edge of the counter, watching him. Bruce seemed much more relaxed these days. He used to practically hide in the lab, but now he could often be found reading in the living room or wandering the grounds on long walks (usually accompanied by Steve or Thor). Natasha had also found herself spending more time with their friends. The "friendship thing" seemed to be working out well for them after all.

'You seem... thoughtful today. You okay?' Bruce was watching her with a hesitant half-smile. He wiggled a bottle of soy sauce at her. 'I can read your mind, Romanoff.'

She laughed. 'I'm good. Just... we've come a long way, haven't we?'

He put the bottle down. 'We have.'

'I got you something. Just to say thank you, for... for everything.' From behind her back, she produced a potted plant. Long green tendrils sprouted from the soil like a fleshy green starfish. Tiny red stalks protruded from the leaves, each producing a bead of a sticky, red substance. 'Something for your carnivore collection.'

Bruce beamed. 'You got me a sundew?' He held it up to admire it in the light. 'I haven't seen one of these in years...'

'His name is Seymour, of course.'

He chuckled, then pressed his lips together. When he finally looked up at her, his eyes looked a little watery. 'Thank you. Hey. Come here.' He put the plant down on the counter.

Natasha found herself pulled into a gentle, warm hug. Bruce smelled faintly of cinnamon (expired or not, she couldn't tell), and she smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek against his. To try and put it into words would be to fall short, so she squeezed him as hard as she dared in the hope that it would convey her feelings.

'Oof, I still need to breathe,' he huffed, but he sounded amused as he pulled away slightly to look down at her. 'You've really helped me out these last few months. I want you to know that.'

Of course, that was the moment when Steve and Tony walked in.

'Alright, break it up lovebirds, I'm hungry,' said Tony. 'Hey, who's been reorganising my spices?'

After a final squeeze, the two of them broke apart. 'They were _ancient_ spices, Tony,' Bruce pointed out.

'My garlic powder is aged like fine wine, Brucie. You planning a romantic meal for later?'

Bruce stared back at him innocently. 'Only if you buy me a drink first.'

Steve started brewing himself a coffee. 'Stop teasing them, Tony. You know they're not together.'

The others had indeed finally got the message that Natasha and Bruce weren't dating. Even the tabloids had grown tired of speculating over blurred coffee shop photos.

Steve nodded at the plant. 'Who's the new fella?'

'It's a sundew,' said Bruce with visible pride, 'from Nat.'

He chuckled. 'Careful, I hear those plants eat gnats.'

Natasha just smiled, gently poking it. Her finger came away sticky with goo. 'I think I'm more of a flower person.'

Steve raised his eyebrows. 'Is that why Hulk keeps giving you clumps of daisies?'

Bruce frowned, poised over a packet of instant noodles. 'He does?'

Natasha laughed. 'He doesn't always want to change back so I told him to find some flowers for me. By the time he picks a bunch he's usually calmer.' Hulk always looked so proud of himself, too. She'd even pressed a few of the prettier ones. 'He doesn't know as much about plants as you, but he makes up for it in enthusiasm.'

Bruce huffed incredulously, resuming his sorting. 'I guess even he's got a softer side.'

Tony frowned. 'You don't think...'

Slowly, Bruce looked up. 'No...'

Steve shook his head. 'No way.'

Natasha stared at them all. 'What? What is it?'

Tony clapped his hands. 'Hulk has a crush on you!' he cried. 'Why didn't we notice that sooner?'

Bruce groaned. 'Here we go again.'

Even Steve seemed to be buying into it. 'Nat _is_ the only one who can get him to de-Hulk on command,' he admitted begrudgingly.

Bruce grabbed Seymour and linked his am through Natasha's, steering them towards the door. 'Hey, look at the time, I just remembered I have something to do in the lab!'

Natasha was laughing as he led them out, and she called over her shoulder, 'You might wanna throw out that those lentils Tony, they're nearly as old as Steve!'

They were both still giggling like schoolchildren as they made it to the elevator. 'We'll never be free of it,' sighed Bruce as the doors slid shut behind them.

'Nope, never.' Natasha leaned against the elevator wall, breathing a contented sigh. 'Gotta love those boys, though.'

He smiled at her, still clutching his beloved sundew. 'What do we do whilst we wait for Tony to undo all my hard work and put the chickpeas back in the cupboard?'

She thought for a moment. 'Daytime _Harry Potter_ marathon?'

Bruce's eyes seemed to sparkle. 'Daytime _Harry Potter_ marathon,' he agreed.

'I have just the thing.' From her pocket, Natasha produced an enormous packet of peanut m&ms. 'Aged like fine wine.'

Bruce grinned and shook his head as he selected their floor. 'I love being with you.'

**Author's Note:**

> I'm just projecting all my interests onto Bruce at this point. I have a carnivore collection on my windowsill and sundews are super pretty.


End file.
